Young Catholics

Youth Ministry, Vacation Bible School (VBS), and Family Resources

Vacation Bible School (VBS)

Toothpick Sculptures, Models, or Constructions

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Hands on activities are fun for youth ministry or Vacation Bible School (VBS). One way to incorporate a fun activity is to have students make toothpick sculptures or models to represent your theme.

This activity can be done in small groups or individually.

Get ideas for toothpick buildings

Toothpick Sculptures, Buildings, Models, or Constructions

If you don't have a specific idea related to your meeting, have them construct the tallest tower possible, a mountain, a house, or a church.
Prep Time 5 mins
Active Time 15 mins
Total Time 20 mins
Keyword crafts
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Ingredients
  

Non-edible ingredients

  • toothpicks
  • modeling clay
  • model magic
  • play dough

Edible ingredients

  • miniature marshmallows
  • gumdrops
  • grapes
  • soft nuts if there are no allergies
  • apple cut into small cubes
  • small pretzel sticks
  • cheese cubes
  • thick frosting dyed different colors
  • royal icing

Instructions
 

  • Give the youth a general theme for what they should create which is related to the meeting theme or just make a generic structure.
  • Give them a set amount of time to work on their construction, such as 10 minutes.
  • At the end of their time, let them show their sculpture and describe it.
  • If appropriate, they can eat leftover construction materials, except for the toothpicks of course! 🙂
Tried this idea?Let us know how it was!

#stem #building

Cork Ship in a Bottle Craft for VBS or Youth Ministry

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This is a simple ship in a bottle craft, not the type that takes days and days. It is easy to make. The kids can take it home and use it as a centerpiece for any nautical themed Vacation Bible School or youth group meeting.

If you want to include a quote with it, this one is appropriate:

The world’s thy ship and not thy home.

St. Therese of Lisieux

Blank corks in bulk

Ship in a Bottle Craft

My picture taking skills are not the best, but you can see some photos of some of these steps at the bottom.
Active Time 15 mins
Total Time 15 mins
Keyword crafts
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Equipment

  • Scissors
  • markers

Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

  • Line up the three corks and put a piece of tape across them to keep them from slipping around. (You can remove this later if you want, but it won’t show.)
  • Cut a piece of twine and tie it around the bodies of the corks.
  • Tie two more pieces of twine the other way, in the spaces between the corks. (See photo) This will make the first piece of twine hold the corks tighter.
  • Take the toothpick and press it into the middle cork to make a hole for the mast.
  • Cut a small piece of construction paper into a triangular shape for the sail.
  • If you want, you can decorate the sail with Christian symbols, a phrase, or any way you like.
  • Use the toothpick to punch two holes for the mast. (See photo)
  • Thread the sail onto the mast.
  • Insert the mast back into the middle cork.
  • Put some stones in the bottom of the mason jar and add some water.
  • Gently place the ship in the jar.
  • Put the lid on.

Notes

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#VBS #CatholicYM #YouthMinistry #churchcamp

Shipwrecked Word Search Puzzle

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Do you need a quick and easy activity for your ocean or adventure themed VBS? This word search puzzle is a good way to keep everyone busy while gathering or to fill some unexpected free time.

Download the printable word search puzzle and key below. You are free to use the printed version “as is” with your youth group, VBS, or other youth ministry.

Get some printed pirate games

#pirates #ocean #VBS

Water Balloon Relay (Game for VBS or Church Camp)

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Water Balloon Relay is a fun wet game for your Vacation Bible School or church camp. Have plenty of water balloons on hand! Your VBS kids will want to play this over and over again. It is a good game for any water or ocean or pirate or nautical based theme. Or a good game just because water balloons are fun!

Be prepared for this to get a little crazy when the kids are really tossing the balloons with their towels. That is part of the fun.

Get some self sealing water balloons

This game is probably to difficult for the really little preschool kids. Primary aged kids can do this at camp or VBS. For middle school or a high school youth ministry group, have them stand further apart to make it more challenging.

Water Balloon Relay

Prep Time 30 mins
Active Time 15 mins
Total Time 45 mins
Keyword active games, VBS
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Equipment

  • Towels – One for each pair of kids
  • Water balloons – lots!!!!
  • Something to mark the starting point and the ending point so they don’t move closer together.

Ingredients
  

  • None

Instructions
 

  • Divide the group into two or more teams.
  • Line the teams of kids up in pairs and give each pair a towel.
  • Space the pairs apart between the start and the finish lines.
  • Give the first pair in line for each team a water balloon. Place it in their towel.
  • The teams must pass the balloon by flipping it from one towel to the next along the line.
  • If they touch a balloon with their hands, they must go back to the first pair in line and start over.
  • If a balloon lands on the ground, they must go back to the first pair in line and start over.
  • If the balloon breaks, start again at the beginning of the line with a new balloon.
  • The first team to get their balloon to the end of it’s line without breaking it wins.
Tried this idea?Let us know how it was!

#VBS #ChurchCamp #CampGames

Walk the Plank Game (VBS or Youth Ministry Game)

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Walk the Plank is a game for Vacation Bible School or a youth ministry meeting.  This will be difficult for younger children but it would be appropriate for middle school VBS or youth group. It has a problem solving and team building aspect to it which tweens and teens will enjoy.

In this game, teams move down the playing area on two boards. They have to figure out how to move the boards without anyone falling off. This takes a lot of cooperation. Another version of this game involves looping ropes around the boards to let the players lift the boards and move them.

Turn it into a race if you want to, but it is not necessary. Just moving from one end of the play area to another is a victory.

Get more easy youth group games

Walk the Plank Game

Most teams will all get on one board, move the other, and then get on the board they just moved. But you might see some attempts at different variations. That is OK. Let them work it out. Eventually they will figure out how to do it.
Active Time 15 mins
Total Time 15 mins
Keyword Team Building, VBS
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Ingredients
  

  • Two planks per team 2x4s or 2x6s

Instructions
 

  • Divide the group into teams. About five per team works well.
  • Give each team two planks.
  • Have them start at one end and move as a team to the other end of the play area.
  • If any team member falls off the planks they must take their planks back to the start and begin again.

Notes

The planks should be 2 feet X the number of players per team. So if your teams are 4 or 5 players, give them 10 foot boards.
Tried this idea?Let us know how it was!

#vbsgames #VBS